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The Cooper County Historical Society is a nonprofit 501© (3) organization, founded in 1990, with a focus on collecting and preserving documents, records, historical books and other historical information on Cooper County. We have a free research library to assist the public in finding the information. THANK YOU, HANNAH COLE Picture of the Hannah Cole statue P rior to the coming of the Cole families, what would someday become Cooper County was explored by several early explorers starting with Charles Ravensway in 1658, Daniel Boone in 1799 and later Lewis and Clark in1803-1804 after Missouri became a state. The area was already well known to fur traders. Hannah Allison Cole must have been a very adventuresome, determined, courageous and hardy woman. She was a widow, and almost 50, when she crossed the Missouri River in something similar to a large canoe, called a “dugout” or “pirogue.” She was accompanied by her nine children, her beloved slave Lucy, her sister Phoebe, and Stephan, her husband, and their five children. That’s 18 people in a hollowed-out log, which was usually 15 to 18 feet long. The pirogue or dugout would usually be maneuvered through the water by men using long poles. Although explorers and trappers visited what was to become Missouri in the 1600’s and later, the Coles were the first white families to settle on the South side of the Missouri River. When the family crossed the Missouri River, just before Christmas in 1810, the river was swift and full of ice. Evidently, the men made two trips across the river, the first to carry the women and children to their planned destination, plus swim their stock across the river. The second, to retrieve supplies and provisions that could not fit in the boat on the first trip across the river. That second trip also included dismantling their wagon and bringing it, and probably tools and seeds to the other side of the river. However, the day after they made their initial trip across the river, there was an violent storm. Due to the raging river and ice, the men had to wait eleven days before they could retrieve their wagon and supplies. As the family probably had no little or food with them in the dugout, all they had to eat were acorns, slippery elm bark and one wild turkey. Due to the bad weather, game would have been hard to find, and since it was December, most of the acorns would be gone. That must have been very disheartening for the 18 members of the family. Yet, they all survived! Hannah’s family constructed a small cabin near the river’s edge just up from where Boonville is located today. They lived peacefully for a year or so until there was an Indian uprising, encouraged by the British, known today as the War of 1812 (Yes, the same war when we fought the British and they burned Washington). By this time there were other hardy souls who had crossed the river for a new life in the newly opened territory. Later, for protection, a fort was built on a rocky, very steep bluff that jutted out almost to the river. Looking at the property today, which is still very heavily wooded, you will wonder “how in the world, did they get up there,” as the location had to be reached by climbing through the dense, almost vertical virgin forest and then down a very steep forested hill. Hannah must have been a very giving person who really loved people. During the Indian uprising she invited other families to stay in her fort, providing them a safe place to live. She eventually found teachers to provide education for the children, and preachers to provide hope and inspiration to everyone. The fort had many other uses after the War. Click here for more information

FORTS ARE BUILT COLE'S FORT Nearly two years passed before the War of 1812 broke out. Before this time, the life of the settler was fairly quiet. Nature supplied them with nearly all that they wished to eat or drink. When a place of shelter for his family had been provided, the settler could spend his time hunting and fishing. These were pleasant pastimes for him and they also provided some of the necessities for life. This life of ease and rest was suddenly changed by the beginning of the war. Great Britain declared war in 1812 against the United States. The Indians wanted to keep their land, and joined the war on the side of Great Britain. The settlers immediately began to build a fort for their protection from potential Indian attacks. The two Cole forts were built under the direction of Stephen Cole. By the fall of 1814, the settlers on the south side of the river had become so concerned for their safety that they gathered at the home of Hannah Cole to fortify and enlarge the original Cole fort. The forts most likely incorporated existing structures. They were family forts, fortified log cabins with loop holes cut so they could fire muskets through them or simple blockhouses to run to when danger was sensed. Cooper’s Fort and Fort Hempstead on the North side of the River are the two that come closest to what most people think of as forts in size and design. Cooper’s Fort held upwards of 20 or so families and over 100 young (unmarried) men. They were purposely built as forts, relatively large to house multiple families. Hannah and Stephen Cole’s forts were relatively small, maybe sufficient for about ten to a dozen families each. Any drawings of the forts at this time are artists conceptions based on what little information we have about forts, and what we know about forts further east in Kentucky, Tennessee etc. We have no period made images of any these Boonslick forts. It is thought that Hannah Cole’s fort was built on a bluff close to the Missouri River. The enlarged Hannah Cole Fort was built between 1812-1814 , and was much larger than the first, and was well fortified. This is an artist’s conception of what the fort looked like. According to an old text, they built a cabin in 1810 then built the fort in 1814. That is a reasonable conclusion although we lack specific dates. The first death among the Boonslick settlers occurred April 26, 1814 when Jonathan Todd and Thomas Smith were killed. Judge Joseph Thorpe lived in Cooper's Fort as a boy and recalled the incident: "At a very early hour next morning the men in our settlement were called together, guns in hand, ready for self-defense... they immediately set to work to build forts for protection, each settlement having its own fortifications, and the result was there were five forts built." Further research and documents reveal that there were actually nine fortifications in the Boonslick Country. Thorpe probably remembered only those closest to Cooper's Fort. The August 13, 1814 edition of the Missouri Gazette reported: "A few days ago, a barge belonging to Messrs. M. Lisa & Co. which was ascending the Missouri to their trading establishment, were induced to stop at Mackay's Saline, (commonly called Boon's Lick) as the country was overrun by the Indians and all the inhabitants were in Forts. The crew which arrived here on Saturday night, last...reports that on the south side of the Missouri, the Indians had taken all the horses and were killing the cattle for food; that on their arrival at the Saline, the people of Coles' fort were interring a man just shot by th e Indians." THE COOPER FAMILY The Cooper family came to Missouri Territory from Culpepper County, Virginia, by way of Madison County, Kentucky. In the spring of 1808 , Colonel Benjamin Cooper came up the Missouri River from the Loutre Island settlement and tried to establish a settlement on the north side of the river which was opposite the present town of Arrow Rock. He built a cabin, cleared a small piece of ground and began the work for a permanent home. However, Indian claims to this land had not yet been settled and Governor Meriwether Lewis issued an order directing him to return to Loutre Island. In February, 1810 , Benjamin and his brother Sarshall Cooper, with several others, returned to what is now Howard County. He settled at the same place and in the same cabin which he had built two years before. He led the settlers in building a fort for protection against the Indians. At that time, about a total of 150 people from both sides of the river made up the Boonslick area settlements. As the settlements were a great distance from St., Louis, the Governor considered them beyond his jurisdiction of government, so they were basically on their own for their defense. Although the Cooper family did not cross the river to live in what is now Cooper County, the County was named after Sarshall Cooper, a frontiersman who was chosen by the 112 rangers under his command to be their Captain. Many of these men from Cooper’s Fort later became famous trappers, politicians and prominent business leaders. The old Cooper's Fort marker is long gone, but in the video you can see part of it Joyce and David Campbell, descendants of Sarshell Cooper, near Cooper's Fort Actual site of the Cooper Fort is unknown, but it is somewhere over Joyce's shoulder, near the Missouri River This is where they placed the Cooper's Fort plaque many years ago. See it in the video above THE HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY FORTS By Wayne Lammers In the expansion in the early 1800’s in America, The Far West received the greatest migration of humanity that our nation has ever known. Families from the east and beyond were drawn like magnets to the western unknown. This magnet pulled at the hearts of people who wanted to improve themselves and their livelihoods. They wanted to be free…free to control their own destiny. The early pioneers that made this journey were, as we say, the “Salt of the Earth.” They marched to their own drum beat, by existing on the vast lands out west, and to be free. They had to be of strong will, and determined to look adversity in the eye and spit. They were hearty and invincible. Many a day goes by when I get up in the morning, look in the mirror and see my face and wonder how the early pioneers would get up in the same morning over 200 years ago. What we have today, the old settlers could never dream of, with all the techno items and gadgets. The cold and the hot weather - all taken in stride, it was never questioned. They did what they had to do to survive the day. In Boonville, just south of the Missouri River, Hannah Cole’s Fort was the beginning of the early white history in our Central Missouri Settlements. The forts were built in the area where the river is straight and the banks are north and south. Johnson’s History of Cooper County – pages 0100 – 0149 Twenty families and a number of young men resided in the fort. McLean’s Fort, afterwards called Fort Hempstead, which was erected on a high hill. It was the most easterly fort of the settlement. These forts were on the north side of the river. All was not ease and comfort within the fort, and the white men were denied the freedom of … of about 400, made their appearance before the fort. At this time there were two hunting parties … Only Savage succeeded in attaining the fort. As soon as Savage … north side. Todd and Smith Are Killed -In the early spring of 1812 prior to the killing of Smith. Click for full version. References : Boonslick Incredible Cooper Family Bicentennial Boonslick History pages 14-15. Settlement in Lamine Township Lamine Township was settled first in 1812. The very first settlers were David Jones, a Revolutionary War soldier; Thomas and James McMahan; Stephen, Samuel and Jesse Turley; and Saunders Townsend. Others came soon afterwards. In 1812 a fort, called McMahan’s Fort, was built in this township. References : (Courtesy of Mike Dickey, Site Administrator, Arrow Rock Historic Site) Google Books – A History of Cooper County Missouri, 1876 Google Books – History of Howard and Cooper Counties, Missouri, 1883 Google Books – History of Cooper County Missouri, 1919 Library of Congress – Illustrated Historical Atlas of Cooper County, 1897 The Tribes of Missouri Part 2 (Things Fall Apart) Full text of "History of Howard and Cooper counties, Missouri" written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of its townships, towns, and villages: together with a condensed history of Missouri, a reliable and detailed history of Howard and Cooper counties--its pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens. History of Howard and Cooper Counties - Volume II - Part D (full version at website) A RELIABLE AND DETAILED HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES – ITS PIONEER RECORD, RESOURCES, BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT CITIZENS; GENERAL ... CHAPTER XXI-ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY___ 11 CHAPTER XXII -OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE COUNTY Johnson's History of Cooper County - pages 0100 - 0149 (full version at website) Continued) by all the inhabitants of this fort. Twenty families and a number of young men resided in the fort. McLean's Fort, afterwards called Fort Hempstead, was erected on a high hill near Sulphur ... the Spanish Needle Prairie. It was the most easterly fort of the settlement. These forts were on the north side of the river. On ... time all was not ease and comfort within the fort, and the white men were denied the freedom of ... of about 400, made their appearance before the fort. At this time there were two hunting parties ... the ground. Only Savage succeeded in attaining the fort. As soon as Savage ... north side. Todd and Smith Are Killed -In the early spring of 1812 prior to the killing of Smith. History of Howard and Cooper Counties - Volume II - Part B (full version at website) River and numerous smaller streams. EARLY SETTLEMENT Among the early settlers of this township, were James Taylor, who ... law of James Taylor was also one of the early settlers of this township. He was born in North ... Kelly, one of its old and most respected pioneers. EARLY SETTLERS This township, from the best information which can be obtained, was settled early in the spring of 1818. The first settlers ... sides of the township are surrounded by water. EARLY SETTLERS The township was settled first in 1812 ... In the year 1812 or 1813 there was a fort, called “Fort McMahan,” built somewhere in this township, but the exact ... once a place of memorable notoriety. In those early days it was not unfrequently called the Devil. Johnson's History of Cooper County - pages 0050 - 0099 (full version at website) Peck, who in the early days traveled in this section, gives a very ... Eagle's Nest", about one mile southwest of where Fort Kincaid was afterward erected, in what is now Franklin ... this section, committed atrocious deeds, and gave the early pioneer settlers much trouble. But all the tribulations ... mogenweb.org/cooper The Indians with which our early settlers had to contend were idle, shiftless, vicious ... been written regarding the log house of the early pioneer. It furnished an inexpensive and convenient shelter ... side and architecture, the log house of the early pioneer was the greatest democratizing agent of the ... my little old log cabin on the hill." Early Farming Implements -The farming implements of the pioneers Resource: Levens and Drake: A History of Cooper County, Missouri Bottom of Page 50 Governor Howard resigned Oct. 25, 1810, to enter the War of 1812, and died in St. Louis in 1814. ... the mighty Missouri formation has taken place. Cooper County has risen to become one of the ... been eliminated and time conserved. The history of Cooper County, from the time of the red men and ... that be ever resided in the present county of Cooper, yet it is very probable that he ... which settled in the present limits of Cooper County, has been positive in his statement that ... assumed that Boone ever resided permanently in either Howard or Cooper County are in error. However, John W. Peck, who ... tract of land in what is now Howard County. This land was surveyed on Jan. 26. History of Cooper County Missouri by W. F. Johnson, pages 50-99 Johnson's History of Cooper County - pages 0450 - 0499 (full version at website) Howard and Cooper Counties. Joseph Yarnell was an Indian fighter, a ... people remained during the troublesome days of the War of 1812. A traditional story handed down for the past ... attend a party across the Missouri River in Howard County. Bottom of Page 452 there was only one ... Shelby's raiders made their famous trip through Cooper County, during the Civil War, some of Shelby's men welded a broken ... Crews) Pulley, who were pioneer settlers of Cooper County. The children born to this marriage are: ... the best known of the pioneers of Cooper County. Frederick W. Miller served his adopted country ... Bernardine, a teacher in the public schools of Cooper County; Mary, bookkeeper in the Commercial Bank of Boonville.

MILLS Upon arrival in a new area, settlers would look for a mill site. Going to the mill in the early days of the county was difficult, because there were no roads, no bridges, and hardly any conveniences for traveling. It was difficult to cross the rivers and streams. The trip to the mill was also a time to visit the trade center and replenish supplies. In the mid to late 1800's, mills were a place where farmers could meet and discuss various topics of common interest much like they do in local restaurants today. Mills were also a place where locally produced items could be purchased or traded. There were different types of mills. Mills could be powered by water wheels, steam power or oil- (kerosene or gasoline) powered engines. At one time, there were 22 mills in Cooper county. Most of the old mills in the county are listed and described in the next paragraphs. Rankin’s Mill (Boonville Township) on the Petite Saline operated until 1912 . It is the oldest mill established and operated in Cooper County. Matthew Rankin bought the Old Boyd water-powered mill in 1838 and his son William Rankin built a new and larger mill on the site in 1840 . It was water-powered until 1854 when it was changed to steam power. It had capacity for 800 bushels of grain per day. Silas L. and Robert S. Rankin, sons of William A., tore down the old mill in 1893 and built a more modern structure, which is now in ruins and inaccessible. Gooch’s Mill/Big Lick (Saline Township) on the Petite Saline ceased operation in the 1930 's. Little of this mill is still standing. William Dixon Gooch purchased land in 1839 and built a mill, which he ran until he died in 1856. Lewis Edgar, his son-in-law, ran it until 1868 . Diedrich Molan ran it from 1868-1871 . Many people owned and operated it from then until 1950 (seldom did any one person longer than three years at a time). C.M. Lacy operated it from 1905 until 1910 . Walter Niederweimer operated it from 1912-1921 . Henry Warmbrodt was the last person to operate it until it ceased operation in the 1930 's. The area of Gooch Mill was also known for its salt lick nearby and was sometimes referred to as Big Lick. It was also the site of the famous Indian fight in 1812 in which two Indians were killed by local residents. Interesting quotes from Dave Braun, a former resident of the town, about the Gooch Mill are: “Gooch and his wife, Matilda, built the grain mill down on the creek. Folks started coming from nearby to get their corn and wheat ground into flour so they could sell it. They came to Gooch Mill ‘cause it was a lot easier than lugging a wagon-load or two up to Boonville on those old dirt wagon paths they called roads’. Almost all of Gooch Mill is gone now. The third mill is in ruins down on the creek, as the first two burned. They’d been everything from water to steam. But the ‘guts’ of the last mill are just about gone. The big Howe scale, just inside the door, still works and the weights are still there, though.” Story Courtesy of Sharon Dyer Connor’s Mill (Force’s Mill, in Saline Township) on the Petite Saline was still there in 1897 , but not by 1915 . This mill was built by Charles Force and was originally water-powered. When James F. Connor purchased it, he changed it to a steam-powered mill. Kiln-dried flour was made there and this fact was widely advertised in 1849 . Connor employed 23 assistants at one time at this mill. Oscar F. Case was a blacksmith there from 1867-1879 until he moved to Gooch Mill. Cranmer’s (Glasgow’s/Corum’s) Mill , in Otterville Township) was located on the Lamine River. George Cranmer came to Cooper County from Kentucky in 1832 and settled near what is now Clifton City. He and James H. Glasgow built what was known as Cranmer’s Mill, afterwards known as Corum’s Mill, exactly where MKT crossed the Lamine River; Cranmer named the place Clifton. Jewett’s Mill (Davis and Barker Mill, in Clark’s Fork Township) was located on Clark’s Fork on the Petite Saline. Samuel L. Jewett, born in 1834 , came to Missouri in 1840 with William Cropper (after both parents died). In 1851 , he began working in Connor’s Mill. He was there two years, then he went to college in Illinois. He spent several years there learning the milling trade. During 1854-1860 he was mining and milling in California. Jewett bought the Davis and Barker Mill property and farm in 1860 , and operated the mill from 1860-1865 . He left for a year, returned and bought back the mill land and stayed there until his death in 1917 . The mill ceased operation in 1916 . The mill had a capacity for nearly 1,500 bushels of grain per day. Jolly’s Mill (Palestine Township) was operated by Joseph Jolly who settled in Saline Township in 1812 . He moved to Palestine Township in 1826 (to the “Stephen’s Neighborhood”) and built a horse-powered mill. Hughes’ Mill (Pilot Grove Township) was located on a branch of the Petite Saline. It was the first mill built in Pilot Grove Township. It was gone by 1883 . Weeden Spenny’s Mill - (Kelly Township) was located near Bunceton. Friese’s Mill (Pilot Grove Township) was located on the Lamine. Ernest Louis Moehle traded for the mill in 1885 and operated it as a flour and saw mill until 1890 . Ennor’s Mill - Blazius Efinger worked at Ennor’s Mill in Cooper County between 1885 and 1893 . Zimmerman and Neeson Mill was on the map at the corner of Otterville, Lebanon, and Clear Creek Townships on the Lamine in 1874 . Bale’s Mill is shown at the corner of Clear Creek and Blackwater Township on the Lamine in 1874 . There was a mill shown on William Roberts’ and John Taveness’ land in Palestine Township. The date was 1874 . There was a mill shown on J.S. Talbot land in 1874 on the Lamine, in Lamine Township. New Lebanon Mill was operated by a succession of men, most of whose names cannot be obtained. In 1900 , it was managed by Thomas R. Kemp, and in 1915 , it was owned and operated by J.E. Potter. In addition to all kinds of ground feed, it produced two grades of flour: “Liberty Bell” (first grade) and “Honey Creek” (second grade). It was powered by a steam engine which required “mountains” of wood for fuel. It operated off and on after 1910 and was town down in the 1930 's. Photos courtesy of Jeannette Heaton McCulloch’s Mill was in Kelly Township on a branch of Moniteau Creek. Howard’s Mill known as Old Round Mill was in Kelly Township. The Bunceton Roller Mill was built in 1871-1872 by Miller Rogers, and Company at a cost of $15,000. At its time of highest production, 200 barrels of flour were produced every twenty-four hours. One of the most destructive fires of Bunceton was on the night of February 25, 1899 , when the Roller Mill was destroyed. The cause of the fire was unknown but it was believed to have started from the office stove. There were 15,000 pounds of flour and between 1,500 and 2,000 bushels of wheat in the mill that night. The A.E. Doll Mill was built in 1900 near the Speed road. The mill was sold to Dr. J. Lawson of Sedalia. Later, Leo Felton bought the mill and tore it down. Wilkins’ Mill was on the Petite Saline near the old George Geiger farm. It was a water-powered grist and saw mill. There was also a covered bridge near the mill on the Petite Saline. The Tipton/Boonville Stage coach crossed the creek at the bridge. The bridge fell down in 1909 after almost 75 years of service. Wilkins also had an orchard planted in 1835 . Dick’s Mill is located in the Cotton community, which is in South Moniteau Township. in 1826 , a water-powered mill was built by Edward Embry on a piece of property a quarter of a mile above the present site of Dick’s Mill. The mill was closed during the Civil War when Mr. Embry went to join the Confederacy. When he came home after the war, the mill had been destroyed, “probably by soldiers.” The area residents missed the mill and hoped that it could be rebuilt. In 1869 , the present site of the mill, was bought by John M. Burris from John Quarles for $100. His brother, Valentine Burris, installed a sawmill propelled by a steam engine in an open shed. It is thought that the brothers sawed the lumber to build Dick’s Mill in 1868-69 . The new mill was a 25 x 35-foot grist mill with a limestone foundation and a wooden water wheel. The mill is just 25 feet from the banks of the Moniteau Creek. The Dick's Mill was run by the Burris brothers for a year, then In August of 1869 it was sold to Adolph and Peter Dick, who immigrated to America with their parents in 1852 . It was while under the ownership of the Dicks, that the mill and the Cotton community flourished and became a center of trade. The mill is an example of a steam-powered grist mill that was commonly used during the last half of the nineteenth and the early part of the twentieth century. It is the only intact grist mill with the machinery of its type, left in the county. A steam engine for the mill was purchased from a ferry boat that had operated on the Missouri River. The engine was shipped by rail to Tipton, Missouri, where it was brought by wagon to the site in Cotton. The steam engine was later replaced by a 25-horsepower Bouser engine, which was powered by gasoline. There were two runs of millstones used to grind corn and flour until 1892 . Then, a new roller mill system was installed at Dick's Mill. After a short time, Peter discontinued working at the mill with Adolph. Adolph worked at the mill until he sold the business to John Hall in 1903 . John Hall continued to use the gasoline engine and operated Dick's Mill and actively ground corn and wheat until 1945 . The mill was closed permanently during World War II because of the shortage of equipment and a lack of business. Burl and Maye Long of the Cotton community inherited the mill from John Hall. James Martin and Paul Bloch were interested in saving the historic mill building. In 1976 they approached the Longs asking to purchase the mill. An agreement was made and papers were signed October 16, 1976 . James and Nancy Martin purchased the mill and hoped to restore it to a condition that would closely resemble its state during the peak operating years of 1880 to 1900 . Much of the original equipment is still in the mill. Dick's Mill is the last existing intact grist mill in Cooper County. Dick's Mill before restoration Restored Dick's Mill W.P. Harriman Flour and Grist Mill was built in the late 1860s by Anthony Johnston. Mr. Johnston was a millwright and a stone mason from Kentucky. After building the Harriman Mill, he built several other mills in Cooper County. Doc Harriman was a successful doctor and spent most of his time with the sick, which left the management of his mill, and the raising of his horses to his very capable wife, Eliza. One of Mrs. Williams’ female workers led the horses to turn the sweeps in a never-ending circle. The mill was a very important business in the 1800s to the Pilot Grove Community. It was in operation from May to November with a work day of 10 or more hours. The wage at the time for a skilled mechanic was $1.00 per day. The average wage for a laborer was $.75 per day. The estimated output in a day was 100 bushels of ground flour. The flour produced was known as the White Rose flour. The grain was brought by wagon to the Harriman elevator in Pilot Grove where it was sold. In 1918, Doc Harriman sold his interest in the mill to his son, who later sold it to an Albert Adair and his two nephews. It was then converted into a steam-powered mill and called the Pilot Grove Mill . Logs for firewood to power the mill were brought in from the Pilot Grove area. The mill was sold to Herman Rethemeyer and operated for an indefinite time. Jim Huckaby was employed at the mill for 25 years. The mill was torn down in the spring of 1935. The grindstone is on display at Pilot Grove’s town park. All other traces of the mill are gone. The Sombart Mill was located on the south bank of the Missouri River in Boonville. It was started in 1852 by two brothers, and named the CW&J Sombart Milling Company. It became a very extensive business and was renamed in 1879 as the Sombart Milling and Mercantile Company. At one time it was the most valuable milling property in central Missouri. Located in the area of the Route 40 Boonville Bridge, the property became the local M.F. A. Elevator in 1989. Sombart Mill, Flood of 1903 MFA Elevator, 2019 (Former Sombart Mill)

THE INDIAN REMOVAL ACT The Indian Removal Act of 1830 forced the indigenous nations to leave Missouri and resettle in Indian Territory. (Courtesy of Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) “The Indian Removal Act of 1830 forced the indigenous people who once inhabited land in Missouri to leave and resettle in Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma, Nebraska and Kansas). The removal process, however, began long before U.S. President Andrew Jackson signed the 1830 removal act. It was a policy introduced by President Thomas Jefferson and was largely carried out by treaties in Missouri supervised by William Clark as superintendent of Indian affairs. About 30 years before the last removal, the Indigenous Nations in the Missouri Territory at the time of the Louisiana Purchase included Sac and Fox, Ioway, Little Osage and Great Osage, Kickapoo, Shawnee, Delaware and Quapaw. Skirmishes and fighting ensued as the U.S. government expanded westward and other nations would be pushed from the East to Missouri. The military imprisoned the famous War Chief Black Hawk in St. Louis at the end of the Black Hawk War in 1832 . The Trail of Tears, as a result of the 1930 act, forced Eastern indigenous nations to relocate to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). One of the routes traversed the southern part of Missouri, where many lives were lost crossing the Mississippi River in Cape Girardeau County during the harsh winters of 1838 and 1839 . An estimated 4,000 Cherokees lost their lives on the Trail of Tears from Tennessee to Oklahoma.”

BOOKS, MAPS AND RESOURCE MATERIALS Cooper and other Counties Town/Area History Books: History of Billingsville, Prairie Lick, and Ston e y Point History of Blackwater Bicentennial Boonslick History A Pictorial History of the Boonslick Area Boonville An Illustrated History Boonville An Historic River Town Bunceton 1868-1988 and 1868 – 1993 History of Clear Creek Recollections of Clifton City Clifton City 1873 – 2019 Our Town Lamine Missouri History of New Lebanon Otterville Sesquicentennial Some Might Good Years – Overton Pilot Grove Centennial 1873 – 1973 A Brief History of Prairie Home Area Books : Green Ridge MO Centennial 1870 – 1970 Jamestown 1837 – 1987 Lupus – Portrait of a River Town History of Martinsville Old Trails of Missouri Once Upon the Past – Mid Missouri Places and People Sedalia MO 100 Years in Pictures Books on History of Cooper County and Other Counties Cooper County : Discover Cooper County by Looking Back – Ann Betteridge History of Cooper County Missouri Volumes I and II – W. F. Johnson History of Cooper County Missouri – Levins and Drake History of Cooper County – Melton Memorabilia of Cooper County – The Sesquicentennial Steering Committee for 150th Birthday of Boonville Other County Histories : History of Cole, Moniteau, Morgan, Benton, Miller, Maries, and Osage Counties History of Harrison and Mercer Counties Howard County History and Families History of Moniteau County History of Morgan County History of Saline County OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE AT CCHS Free Cemetery maps and brochures on historical landmarks Books, P amphlets and CD’s for sale Cooper County Plat Maps – 1877, 1897, 1915 Books : Discover Cooper County by Looking Back by Ann Betteridge The “Best” Bustle in Fayette by Mary Louise & Sylvia Forbes This Cruel Unnatural War by James Thoma “Old Pleasant Green Underground” - The Old Cemetery, at the 1825 Pleasant Green Methodist Church Cooper County MO by Florence Friedrichs Old Cooper County Churches (Cooper County Church Sketches) by Florence Friedrichs Recollections of Clifton City Lamine School Book Historically Yours by Elizabeth Davis Pilot Grove Sesquicentennial Arts and Essays by local students CD’s: The Cooper County Missouri History Series Home Town Sketches – by Emile Paillou A History of Cooper County – Levens and Drake The First Hundred Years - Melton History of Cooper County Missouri by W.F. Johnson Volume #1 or Volume #2 Old Nick Abroad Cooper County Cemeteries - James Thoma This Cruel Unnatural War – James Thoma Cooper County, Missouri History Series (Contains all of the above series)

EARLY CEMETERIES EARLY CEMETERIES IN COOPER COUNTY Both life and death were serious concerns for the early settlers. Life spans were shorter, and life more perilous than today. Drug stores were nonexistent and doctors were few and far between. Children often died during their first year, and mothers often died in childbirth. It was only natural that churches would want to provide for the passing of their flock by establishing a cemetery near the church. The cemetery was often placed behind the church, but could also be on either side of the church, or across the road, depending on the size and situation of the church property. WHERE ARE THE OLD CEMETERIES? The same fate of old churches has happened to many old cemeteries. When the church and the members were no longer there, the cemeteries become neglected or forgotten. Then, the area where the cemeteries were located was often plowed and planted with crops. Headstones become stepping stones, or were broken up and tossed away. This is a great loss for those who want to preserve history and locate the final resting place of their ancestors. The picture below is the statue of Kate Tracy, a young woman who died in 1854 from cholera at the age of 17. She has a beautiful monument at Walnut Grove cemetery. Someone always puts flowers in her hand which are changed with the seasons. No one knows who does this. This statue was restored to its original beauty by the Hannah Cole Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, in 2019. See the article from the 3/20/2021 “Missouri Life” magazine which tells the story of Kate Tracy and the monument . Early photo of Walnut Grove Cemetery Walnut Grove Cemetery, Oct. 31, 2018 by Wayne Lammers Walnut Grove is the largest cemetery in Boonville and one of, if not the largest, in Cooper County. Some have referred to it as “the biggest city in Cooper County.” It began in the mid 1850’s as a Romantic-style cemetery and expanded in the 1880’s when the cypress trees were planted and the wrought iron fence was installed. Today Walnut Grove is a wildlife and plant sanctuary due to the planning of George Kessler, a famous landscape architect, who laid a master plan for the cemetery. Watch for the horse water troughs and horse rings that are scattered throughout. Walnut Grove has many impressive graves and monuments. A walk through the cemetery will not disappoint you. Walnut Grove was designed to be a prestigious cemetery and that is reflected in the number of wealthy and famous residents who chose it for their final resting place. Some of the famous people buried there include: Civil War Confederate General R. McCullough; Lon Stephens, former Governor of Missouri and his wife; Educator Laura Speed Elliot; Steamboat Captain Joseph Kinney; and many members of the Leonard family who built Ravenswood and are large land holders in Cooper County; and David Barton, the first US Senator from Missouri who also wrote the Missouri State Constitution that allowed Missouri to become a state. DAVID BARTON TOMBSTONE AND LOT RESTORATION WALNUT GROVE CEMETERY, BOONVILLE, MISSOURI By Dr. Maryellen McVicker In 1821 Missouri finally was admitted to the Union as the 23rd state. One of the main men involved in this process was David Barton who chaired the Constitutional Convention and who wrote the Constitution which was submitted to Congress for the admission of Missouri. He then became the first Senator and represented the new state in the U.S. Congress. When he died, he was buried in Boonville, Missouri. The restoration of his tombstone, lot, and adjacent horse watering tough was an appropriate Missouri Bicentennial Project and was undertaken by the Walnut Grove Cemetery Board and the Hannah Cole Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. Barton died penniless on September 28, 1837 . The Gibson family and the citizens of Boonville held a fund-raising drive to place a suitable tombstone over his grave after his burial in what was then called the City Cemetery. Today the name has been changed to Sunset Hills Cemetery. This was accomplished with the erection of an obelisk embellished with all his accomplishments. In 1853 Boonville citizens established Walnut Grove Cemetery, a privately-owned rural park cemetery located on the east edge of town south of Cole’s Fort where David Barton had held court. The area contained a large grove of walnut trees and local promoters had obtained the ground where Cole’s Fort was located and were turning it into the First State Fair in Missouri. Cemeteries were the largest tourist attractions in the United States at the time and the founders of Walnut Grove realized they could capitalize on the cemetery location and attract large crowds if only they had somebody of national prominence buried on the ground. Thus, the remains of David Barton were moved from Sunset Hills to Walnut Grove Cemetery in March 1853 . The cemetery investors decided a new tombstone was needed and so political strings were pulled. On December 8, 1855 the Missouri legislature authorized $400 to erect a new marble gravestone and build an iron fence around the circular lot. The inscription on this new stone repeated exactly the inscription on the earlier tombstone which was left in place in Sunset Hills Cemetery. The new tombstone was over 20 feet tall and was ornamented by an intricately carved torch shown being extinguished by being turned upside down. The dousing of an eternal flame was intended to symbolize how the death of Barton caused knowledge to be extinguished. The first gravestone remained in Sunset Hills Cemetery until 1899 . The University of Missouri acquired the original Thomas Jefferson Tombstone and displayed it on the Frances Quadrangle near the recently completed Jesse Hall. A member of a MU fraternity was visiting family in Boonville and wondered about the Barton tombstone. When told the details, he determined his fraternity would move the stone to MU and place it near the Jefferson monument as a visible reminder of another person interested in Missouri education. The fraternity raised enough money to accomplish the goal and the tombstone is still on the Francis Quadrangle at the University of Missouri. Original David Barton Tombstone previously located in Sunset Hills Cemetery—photo taken in the 1890’s Earliest known photo of David Barton Tombstone in Walnut Grove Cemetery shows fence posts for the iron fence around the lot and tombstone Original Tombstone now located on the Francis Quadrangle at the University of Missouri in Columbia The State Fair was not a financial success in Boonville, and the honor was soon passed to Sedalia, Missouri. But the David Barton monument, fence, and lot graced by walnut trees remained in place. A horse watering trough was placed immediately to the north of the lot so that the horses pulling hearses in funeral processions could drink. In 1901 nationally known landscape architect, George Kessler, was hired to develop a landscaping scheme for the cemetery. Suddenly it was the 21st century and the Missouri Bicentennial Commemoration was just around the corner. Although the Kessler plan was still in place, inevitable changes had occurred. The walnut trees on the Barton lot had died of old age. The iron fence was removed during a scrap metal drive. Horses no longer pulled hearses to the cemetery so the trough was dry. Not having any descendants, nothing had been done on the Barton lot since he was buried there so long ago. The Hannah Cole Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, wanted to commemorate the Missouri Bicentennial with a project that would have a lasting positive impact in the community. Restoration of the David Barton tombstone, replacement of the fence, repair of the watering trough and replacing walnut trees became the goal. Happily, the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution has a competitive national competition for grants that are used for historic projects. The Hannah Cole Chapter DAR and Cole’s Fort Chapter Children of the American Revolution (CAR) applied for one of these grants. CAR members measured how much fence would be required and decided to undertake the watering trough as their project, intending to plant it with flowers each year. Needless to say, all were thrilled when this project was granted the entire amount of requested funds. Cole’s Fort CAR member Abbie Wax looking at tape measure after measuring the size of a lot foundation stone at the David Barton tombstone (behind her)—Walnut Grove Cemetery, Boonville, Missouri, in November 2019 The watering trough on the north side of the David Barton lot with his tombstone in the background behind CAR member Abbie Wax. Stone, circular foundation blocks are visible. The first thing done was to clean the tombstone with D/2 chemical solution. The entire stone was also checked from top to bottom for cracks and fissures. Amazingly. the stone was still perfectly level after 164 years. The watering trough was also thoroughly cleaned and all cracks were repaired. Refilled with dirt, the trough was turned into a beautiful flower bed. Cole’s Fort members, Children of the American Revolution (CAR) planted the watering trough one Sunday evening just before Memorial Day weekend so it would look nice for that holiday. Originally, the iron fence posts had been set in the circular foundation stones going around the lot. When the replacement fence arrived, the installation crew found the stones to be too fragile to withstand post holes drilled into them. With supervision from the cemetery superintendent, the fence was placed in the grass in the lot in the best position for weed eating, creating a win-win project where the fence was replaced and the original stones were kept. The final phase is to plant walnut trees again on the lot. This was done in Fall 2020 . Hopefully, this lot and the items placed on it will survive and be in good condition when Missouri celebrates its Tricentennial in 2120 . The finished product! August 2020 Cole’s Fort CAR Members plant the watering trough—May 2020 Sunset Hills - If Walnut Grove was the place to be buried for Boonville’s rich and famous, Sunset Hills was the resting place for everyone else. Some of Boonville’s earliest settlers are buried there. The city of Franklin was the starting point of the Santa Fe Trail and travelers who died on their way west often ended up in Sunset Hills. The same held true for criminals – the first stone in Sunset Hills belongs to James West, who was hung for murder. Mrs. George Caleb Bingham, Sarah Elizabeth, is buried in Sunset Hills. Sunset Hills was started by the Methodists as a Methodist church burial ground. Soon, there were too many burials, and the Methodists turned the cemetery over to the city. Many people think that Sunset Hills is the Black cemetery in Boonville, but the segregation was not intentional. After Walnut Grove was built, many of the wealthier families moved their family to Walnut Grove, leaving Sunset Hills de facto segregated. To date, there are no Black people buried in Walnut Grove. There are many African-American Civil War veterans buried in Sunset Hills who fought for the North. Perhaps they are near the mass grave for the Union soldiers. Photos courtesy of Sharon Dyer and Wayne Lammers With permission from Sharon Dyer With permission from Sharon Dyer HANNAH COLE GRAVE SITE Hannah Cole Head Stone Dedication of Hannah Cole Grave Site, October 31, 1932 Hannah Cole, a widow with nine children, is believed to be the first white woman head of household to venture south of the Missouri River within the state of Missouri. Many historians have portrayed Hannah Cole and her family as courageous leaders in the pioneer days of Cooper County, Missouri. She came to what was to become Cooper County along with her sister Phoebe and her brother-in-law Stephen and their children, who were the first white people to settle in the present site of Boonville in early 1810. She has been lauded as “Missouri’s greatest Pioneer Mother.” The Briscoe Cemetery was deeded by William Briscoe to the people of the community in 1867. It was a family burying ground as early as 1825. The cemetery, which is one acre in size, is located on Highway 5 about 15 miles south of Boonville. The burial place of Hannah Cole and many of her family had long lain unattended for many years. Some of the headstones had fallen down and many were sunken into the ground. Hannah’s grave was unmarked until the Pilot Grove Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.) decided to mark her burial place in 1932. A huge red Granite boulder from southeast Missouri, was moved to the historical burial site as a gift from the highway Department. Circling the base of the boulder are cemented 13 large stones, each stone from one of the Cooper County townships. The grave was formally dedicated on October 30,1932 with a bronze plaque set into the Granite. The inscription reads: “Cooper County’s first white woman settler, whose unfailing courage in facing the dangers of the wilderness and a cruel Indian War entitles her to be called a Pioneer Mother of early Missouri Civilization 1764-1843 The fenced cemetery is located next to land which is now the Hannah Cole Wayside Park, maintained by the state of Missouri. The Briscoe Cemetery is maintained by the Cole Family Association. This cemetery is a spot of historical interest for all Missourians. Other Cooper County cemeteries on the map that follows are: Saint Joseph , in Pilot Grove (#39) and Saints Peter and Paul (#42) in Boonville, are the two largest Catholic cemeteries in the Boonslick region. Hannah Cole , the founding mother of Boonville, is buried in Briscoe (#6) cemetery. Pleasant Green (#31) features the graves of several Civil War era soldiers. Pisgah (#29) is also notable for Civil War burials, including the grave of one of the two Robert McCulloughs. The Robert McCulloughs were cousins, and both were Confederate soldiers. General McCullough is buried in Walnut Grove. Concord (#10) is one of the oldest cemeteries in Cooper County and it’s the oldest Baptist cemetery in the region. Pleasant Grove Evangelical (#32) is a German cemetery where originally, they buried people in order of the date of death instead of in family groups, an old German custom. Today they are buried in family groupings. Old Lamine (#26) is a typical country church cemetery. At New Lebanon Cumberland Presbyterian Cemetery (#23) you will find all styles of graves, including the four wives of Mr. Mahan. Wives number 2, 3 and 4 have identical headstones. Wife #1’s stone has fallen over- perhaps because of too much grave rolling? Perhaps Mr. Mahan got a volume discount on tombstones. As for him, he’s buried on his own lot. Makes you wonder why. Other Cooper County cemeteries on the map that follows are: Saint Joseph , in Pilot Grove (#39) and Saints Peter and Paul (#42) in Boonville, are the two largest Catholic cemeteries in the Boonslick region. Pleasant Green (#31) features the graves of several Civil War era soldiers. Pisgah (#29) is also notable for Civil War burials, including the grave of one of the two Robert McCulloughs. The Robert McCulloughs were cousins, and both were Confederate soldiers. General McCullough is buried in Walnut Grove. Concord (#10) is the oldest cemetery in Cooper County and it’s the oldest Baptist cemetery in the region. Pleasant Grove Evangelical (#32) is a German cemetery where originally, they buried people in order of the date of death instead of in family groups, an old German custom. Today they are buried in family groupings. Old Lamine (#26) is a typical country church cemetery. “Corn” Taylor” moved to Cooper County in about 1817. He brought with him a number of slaves. He asked to be buried in a local cemetery and also have his slaves buried there beside him. When his request was denied, he chose a burial place on his own property, and his slaves were buried there also. It is thought that as many as sixteen or more slaves were buried there. There is one large marker with the Taylor data. About twenty-nine graves were counted here, but unknown, as the only markers are rocks. Missouri Law 214.455 – Destruction or defacing any cemetery property, penalty : Every person who shall knowingly destroy, mutilate, disfigure, deface, injure, or remove any tomb, monument, or gravestone, or other structure placed in such cemetery or burial ground or place of burial of any human being, is guilty of a class A misdemeanor. Terms Used in Missouri Laws 214.455 Misdemeanor: Usually a petty offense, a less serious crime than a felony, punishable by less than a year of confinement. Person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020 INFORMATION ON COOPER COUNTY CEMETERIES The first two sites will help you locate the cemeteries and those who are buried there. The Website “Find A Grave ” is very helpful to find graves anywhere in the US. North American obituaries Secretary of State - To request an appointment email archives@sos.mo.gov or call (573) 751-3280. Cooper County MO Cemetery Records - LDS Genealogy Biographical Memorabilia for Cooper County Taylor Springs Burial Ground Cemetery References at CCHS : Pleasant Green Underground by Florence Friedrichs – booklet detailing a brief history of the town of Pleasant Green and those who are buried there. For sale at CCHS - price $9 Cemetery Records and file information for Cooper, Moniteau and Morgan Counties. Card File with Individual Burial Records Cemetery Record Books with burials listed Cemetery Locations – see end of Early Churches , listing churches by Township Notebooks listing burials by cemetery Cemetery map brochure with 52 cemeteries– free Large cemetery wall map of 186 cemetery locations Church Records in File Drawer 104 different churches some with a great deal of information See last portion of Church section for listing of some cemeteries by Township Cooper County Missouri Genealogy good source of cemetery information Cooper County Cemetery Records Map of majority of the old Cooper County Cemeteries

SUNK ON THE MISSOURI RIVER The Missouri River was a major highway from St. Louis to the Wild West across Missouri, but the Mighty Mo took a great many steamboats down as they struggled to settle Missouri and points west. The steamboat “Pirate” was one of the earliest steamboats to sink in the Missouri River. Carrying supplies for Joseph N. Nicollet and the Potawatomi Indians displaced from the east, it sank in April 1839 near what is now Bellevue, Nebraska. One of the worst disasters on the Missouri River was the steamboat “Saluda” near Lexington, Missouri. On April 9, 1852, Captain Francis T. Belt, frustrated by the lack of progress in making a difficult bend, ordered an increase in steam pressure. The boilers exploded. Over 100 people were killed, including Captain Belt. The steamboat “Arabia” was a side wheeler built in 1853 near the Monongahela River in Brownsville, Pennsylvania. It was eventually purchased by Captain John Shaw who operated it on the Missouri River. It is currently on display in Kansas City at the Arabia Museum, but plans are to relocate it to another area. Sold to Captain William Terrill and William Boyd, it made more than a dozen trips up and down the Missouri River. On September 5, 1856, it hit a submerged sycamore tree snag and ripped open the hull. It sank on September 5, 1856. The “Bertrand” steamboat was launched in Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1864. On April 1, 1865, the steamboat struck a submerged log in the Desoto Bend of the Missouri River near Omaha, Nebraska. It sank in less than ten minutes. The “USS Naiad” was built as the “Princess” in 1863 at Freedom, Pennsylvania. Purchased by the Navy at Cincinnati, Ohio, it was commissioned on April 3, 1864, as the USS Naiad. Surviving the war, the USS Naiad was decommissioned at Cairo, Illinois on June 30, 1865. Sold at auction on August 17, 1865, the boat was renamed Princess. It sank on June 1, 1868, when it hit a snag at Napoleon, Missouri. These are only a few of the hundreds of steamboats that sank on the Missouri River, most of them remain unrecovered. Source: "Historically Yours", by Elizabeth Davis Other artifacts from the Missouri Packet are on display at the River, Rails and Trails Museum in Boonville. One steam boat was recovered just upstream from Boonville. It was the “Missouri Packet”. The story of the recovery of the Packet, along with many pictures can be found below. RETRIEVING THE MISSOURI PACKET Early excavation and outline of the boat before the digging began Digging the boat out of the sand with heavy equipment (1820) THE SINKING OF THE MISSOURI PACKET AND EXCAVATION FOR IT By Wayne Lammers The PLUNDER of the Missouri Packet Steamboat An1820 Steamboat excavation near the mouth of the Lamine and Missouri Rivers By Wayne Lammers June 2020 ——————————————————————————— Information of the MISSOURI PACKET Steamboat that sank in the Missouri River in May of 1820. From the Missouri Intelligence and Boonslick Advertiser (this newspaper issued its first copy in Franklin MO., on April 23, 1819) Volume #1 Issue #51 May 13, 1820, P. 2 col. 3 “The Steam Boat Missouri Packet arrived at this place [May 5] in a short passage from St. Louis, bound for the Council Bluffs, laden principally with flour and provisions, for the troops at that place. We regret to state, that a few hours after leaving Franklin, she unfortunately sunk. Being, however, near the shore, in low water, it is expected a considerable portion of the cargo will be saved, and the boat raised and repaired so as to proceed on to her destination.” [No further mention of the Missouri Packet in other issues of the Missouri Intelligence and Boon’s Lick Advertiser] This information was given to Wayne Lammers from Robert “Bob” Dyer after we, along with Gene Smith, visited the the excavated site on December, 30. 1987 . For many years I dreamed of working on an archeological site, uncovering history that have been lost to mankind. That dream came to light on December 30, 1987 , when a friend by the name of Gene Smith asked me to video tape the excavation of a steamboat that he and his salvage corporation from Independence Missouri had found in the bottoms of the Missouri River, about eleven miles west of Boonville near the Lamine River. The boat they were searching for, ca1850’, according to the history, had a large amount of gold and silver onboard. My friend Gene Smith of Independence Missouri, found this sunken boat using a Proton Magnetometer that used the principle of earth’s field nuclear magnetic resonance (EFNMR) to register very small variations on the earth’s magnetic field, allowing metal objects, underground, to be detected to the depth of 30 to 50 feet below the surface. In doing this, the salvage corporation can make exploration decisions, with a grid map, to show the variation of the magnetic field below. After the suspected boat is located on this grid, the next process is to use a 4- or 5-inch auger to bore a sample drill into the suspected target. In doing this, some of the boat hull and artifacts will belch out on to the surface of the Missouri River Bottoms. This boat that was dug, was at the depth of about 30 to 35 feet in the middle of a soybean field. (Authors Note:) In 1820 , the sunken boat was located on the southern shore of the Missouri River in Cooper County, on a bend in the river. Over the years the Missouri River changed its course, I believe, because of the sinking of this steamboat and eliminating this bend in the river doing this, there is now part of Cooper County in the Howard County bottoms which exist today, of 385 acres owned by the Jake Huebert family and Central Missouri Properties LLC of Boonville. On the day I arrived at the excavation site, it was a beautiful sunny day, with the temperature in the upper 30’s. Gene Smith and I were in his black pickup truck following Gary Sisk, in his large RV, going to the two-inch snow field excavation site. We were flying down the Missouri River Bottom because of all the snow and didn’t want to stop because we knew we would get stuck in a heart-beat if we did. We arrived at mid-morning to a site that was unbelievable. The midsection of the 120-foot boat was totally missing. This is where the three boilers and firebox were located. I looked off to the side and saw one large cast iron boiler with other parts nearby that was set aside for later removal. On the port side of the bow of the boat, I saw men with shovels, clearing a large cast iron object. I later found out that this was the engine that powered the craft. I started recording with my Olympic video camera and captured the scene. Moments later I was told by Mr. Smith that we had the rest of the day to discover, record and retrieve what we could of the excavation, because the salvage company was going to rebury this historic steamboat forever. My first thought was “NO”, we need to document this ship and its contents in front of us. To a certain extent, this never happened. Gene Smith and I along with his 100-foot survey tape, began measuring the steamboat which measured approximately 120 feet long, 25 feet wide and 5 feet deep. By the time I settled in to the excavation, the salvage crew were removing the lone engine on the port side of the vessel. The lone large backhoe had a large two-inch strap that was raising the engine away from the boat. The engine had a pitman that was about 12 to 15 feet long with a 3/4-inch cast iron plate on both sides - top and bottom of this beam or pitman. This was connected to the paddle wheel cam which powered the boat. In raising the engine high above, I heard a large crunch. This was the breaking of the cam at the end of the pitman. Well, I thought, is this is how they retrieve artifacts from a historic sunken boat? I was shocked, literally shocked, by the irreverence to the methods and manner they pilfered these items on this old boat. My thoughts were, “This isn’t the way it is supposed to be done.” The next thing was to try to find the name of this boat and when it sank. We found no paint on the sides of what was left of the vessel. We knew that there were about 30 to 40 wooden barrels of salted pork along with some empty whiskey barrels onboard the steamboat. A bunghole on the top of the barrel was the only indication of liquid in the empty container. Over the many years, the whiskey leached out and was gone forever. We located the barrels midway on the steamboat covered with sand, in front of where the three boilers were located. With two small shovels and a lot of work we uncovered many barrels. During this process, I noticed that there were no metal rings around each barrel. They were made of wooden rings with no metal at all. Each wooden band was secured to the barrels with small square nails. I knew that the early barrels had wooden rings instead of metal, to hold the contents together. I then had the feeling that we had a much earlier boat than the later 1850 “Money Boat” that the salvage company thought this one was. This “Money Boat” was thought to contain $200,000 in silver and $50,000 in gold coins. In today’s money….we are talking Millions of Dollars. My question was, why would a very early steamboat be caring that much money? Back to the search for the name of the boat. We felt that there may be a stamp on the top of the barrels indicating the location of the shipment of pork. We pressed on and searched for this. We were right. We finally found a barrel top that was marked. Later, my next move, was to research for the origin of this salt cured pork at Chillicothe Ohio. I did some calling and found a person by the name of Brian Hackett, Director of the Ross County Historical Society in Chillicothe. He gave me the information about the Waddle & Davisson Company that was in operation from 1812 to 1824, shipping salt cured pork to early settlements out west including the forts at Council Bluffs Iowa some 950 river miles away from the docks at Chillicothe, Ohio. This is such a significant incite for a remarkable adventure early in the settling of the Great West. Brian Hackett advised that “This is a greater glimpse of what things were like, an unintentional time capsule. Finds like this allow people to have insight about daily lives of those who lived long ago. Covering it was a waste, a loss of significant historical artifacts.” Again, we pressed on with our search. Gary Sisk wanted to search the stern of the boat with his idea of using a two-inch water hose that was supplied by the water pumps that removed the water from the sunken boat area. In digging the boat which was incased with sand and water, this water had to be removed. A system of four to five pumps were needed for this process. The pumps ran 24/7 at a cost of $500 dollars per day in fuel to run the pumps. This water was pumped some 150 yards back to the Missouri River. In this task, of washing the stern of the boat, we uncovered a recessed paddle wheel or bootjack stern-wheeler. This was also an indication of an early boat. I knew from my studies that this is what the early steamers looked like. T he first thing that was found was a pelvic bone. At the time we didn’t know what kind of bone this was. Arthur’s note: Weeks later, I contacted Doctor Wiley McVicker, a veterinarian in Boonville, and he advised that this was a bovine pelvic bone. He couldn’t tell if it were male or female. So, we know that at least one cow was onboard when the ship sank. Again, this was important to me because cattle were not a plentiful item out west at this point in time. River, Rails & Trails Museum in Boonville houses the following: ½ scale model of a keel boat, handmade model of a Keel boat by Eric Owens, many artefacts from the Missouri Packet collected by Wayne Lammers. Oldest artifacts of oldest steam to be excavated on the Missouri River – May 5, 1820 excavated in December 1987. Wayne Lammers with some of his artifacts from the 200 year old shipwreck "The Missouri Packet" that are located at The River, Rails & Trails Museum in Boonville. Excavation of the steamboat, Missouri Packet, December 27, 1987. This is the stern of the boat with the Paddle Wheel at top right. The boat was destroyed by the company that excavated the boat, looking for gold and silver that wasn't onboard this early 1800's boat. Crew unearthing the paddle wheel of the steamboat. This was a very early steamboat made in the early 1800's. This boat will be the earliest steamboat ever excavated on the Missouri River. This boat was a "recessed sternwheeler" or "Boot-Jack" with the paddle wheel up inside the boat. Lobby in the Arabia Museum in Kansas City displaying the steam engine Paddle wheel and the stern of the boat - they dug through the boat. Boiler - one of the boilers - excavated and "carefully" searched for in the boat, with a 6-foot bucket Bob Dyer examining the steam engine Barrel staves from barrels of salt pork and whiskey. Pork was processed in Chillicothe Ohio by Waddel and Davidson Capstan Closeup of the capstan Picture of barrel top and a pork jaw bone Copper tubing (high steam pressure tubing) Artifacts on display at River, Rails and Trails Museum Digging out the steam engine Steam engine from another angle Article from the Missouri Intelligencer & Boonslick Advertiser at Franklin on May 13, 1820. This is the notification of the sinking of the Missouri Packet Steamboat on the Missouri River just west of the Lamine River. The story of the sunken steamboat as the news traveled to Chillicothe Ohio where the 200 year old salted pork came from. Photo by Wayne Lammers who was a small part of the excavation of the Missouri Packet.

THE MORMON WAR The Mormon war took place in the year 1838 . When the Mormons came to Missouri in 1831 , they located in Jackson County. The citizens there did not like their customs and became angry at the many crimes they committed because of their religious views. They were soon driven from Jackson County, and they moved to Caldwell County, Missouri. The citizens of Caldwell did not want the Mormons to settle in their town, either. They didn’t have sufficient troops to force them to move, so they asked the governor to send in troops to get rid of the Mormons. Governor Boggs called for 7,000 volunteers. In answer to the call, three companies were formed in Cooper County. One was called the Boonville Guards. The second was a volunteer company raised at Boonville. The third was raised in Palestine township. These companies marched twice towards the Mormon settlement and the place of war. While they were marching, the Mormons surrendered. The companies returned home without having ever met the enemy. Upon their arrival at Boonville, these troops were disbanded. The Mormons, after the end of the war, left the state and went to Nauvoo, Illinois, where they stayed for several years. After having difficulty with the authorities of the state of Illinois, the Mormons left and went to the Great Salt Lake.

ORPHAN TRAINS Wayne Lammers Collection Orphan trains operated in the US from the mid-1880s to about 1929. These trains were a way that social services agencies, one of the first being the Children’s Aid Society, would gather children together and then put them aboard trains destined for the Midwest where people would meet the children at train depots and decide which child they wanted. This was brought about by the horrendous conditions that many children were living under in New York and surrounding areas, where there was no system of foster care or other alternative care systems as we have today. Between 1854 and 1929, an estimated 200,000 or more homeless and orphaned children were sent west from eastern cities, accompanied by agents. The purpose was to find families that would take in children in a “free-home-placing-out” program instituted by the Children’s Aid Society of New York City, New York. The children were sent in groups of twenty-five to 100 on trains, making stops along the way where they might be chosen by some family who wanted a child or needed extra help. Here are the pictures of three children from Orphan Trains that found homes in the Pilot Grove area. Photos and text from the Carolyn Aggelar Collection. Joseph Hastely Born: 1892 Baptized March 16 1892 in NYFH Chapel Arrived on the orphan train in 1887 in Pilot Grove, Mo. 65348 Anton Gerke Family “Lucy” adopted May 24, 1892. Joseph John Lammers Birth April 30 1892 New York, USA Death July 29 1983 at the age of 91 Bakersfield, Kern County, California, USA Buried Union Cemetery Bakersfield, Kern County, California, USA This young man is JOSEPH JOHN KRAMER LAMMERS (1892-1983). He was one of 23 orphans on the Orphan Train that stopped in Pilot Grove, Missouri. He was from the Sisters of Misericordia (Quebec) Catholic Orphanage in New York City. His biological father was Joseph Kramer (23 yrs. old) and his mother was Lina Leyheim (20 yrs. old), both of Germany/New York City. He was placed in the orphanage when he was only 3 days old on May 3, 1892. He was adopted by Henry and Wilhelmina (Von der Haar) Lammers of Chouteau Springs in 1894. His surname then changed to Lammers sometime after 1900. In those early days, known as John Joseph (Kramer) Lammers. In addition, mentioned, in the Last Will and Testament of Henry Lammers, 21 Feb 1914. (Missouri, Cooper County Record of Wills, Vol E, 1910-1918) He worked on the railroad in Sedalia, Missouri; Flathead, Montana, and San Bernardino, California. He raised his family in Bakersfield, California. He had two sons, Paul and Fred and one daughter Joanne who was born in 1957 when he was age 64. He served his country in WW1 in the Navy and was awarded The Purple Heart for his service. His adopted siblings were: Clemens Augustine Lammers (Alice Lammers Schupp’s dad); Fredrick John Lammers; Henry George Lammers; John H. Lammers; Christina Mary Lammers Bradshaw; Frank Peter Lammers Carl E. Nelson, age 10, got off the Orphan Train in Pilot Grove in 1900 and was adopted into the family of Abraham Brownfield. His mother had left him with the Orphan Asylum Society of Brooklyn at just a few years of age. He attended the funeral of his father, who died September 14, 1900, and not long after that his mother inquired at the Society to take him back. But Carl had boarded the Orphan Train on September 21. Ten years later Carl began a two-year series of correspondence in search of his family through the Orphan Society and the New York Department of Health, writing in pencil on a lined pad asking, “And haven’t you got no record of Mr. Nelson’s childrens? Send me their addresses, for I would like to find them so bad, and my mother, too.” His father was identified but his mother had moved. In 1912 he made a personal plea to the president of the Borough of Brooklyn, and a notice was placed in a local newspaper, which was seen by his mother. Carl returned to New York where he was reunited with his mother and siblings, living there for four years and serving in the Coast Guard. He moved back to Pilot Grove and in 1917 married his local sweetheart, Geneva Martin, and they raised a family of three children in his adopted home town. Carl Nelson is my adopted great-uncle. (Bert McClary) The following account covers the reason for the trains and how the process worked. Wien, Missouri is in Chariton County. By Denis Fessler November 10, 2004 The community of Wien, Missouri was settled in the latter part of the 19th century, primarily by individuals of German heritage. Early residents left their families in Germany, Indiana, and other states, and made their way to the fertile fields of north-central Missouri to establish new lives. But some arrived as children with no families other than perhaps a sibling or two. They came from New York City by way of what we call now the Orphan Trains. The Beginning New York City in the 19th century suffered from the same problems as many large urban areas, then as now – overpopulation, unemployment, poverty, prejudice, drugs, crime. Also at that time hundreds of thousands of immigrants were pouring into New York City each year, often penniless upon their arrival. The Statue of Liberty proclaimed: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses”. And so they came. This exacerbated the already significant problem of homeless children – orphans, runaways, or abandoned. Even some caring parents left their infants on the doorsteps of the wealthy, hospitals, and the churches, hoping they might find better lives. An estimated 30,000 children were abandoned on the streets in New York City in 1854. To help remedy this situation, Charles Loring Brace, a 26-year-old Congregational Minister, founded the Children’s Aid Society in 1853. Children were taken off the street, cared for, educated, and taught a trade. But the need soon outgrew the means. So he took up the plan that Boston had tried ten years earlier – sending orphans “West” on trains to families at the various stops along the way who were willing to adopt them. The first train was sent out on September 20, 1854 with 46 ten-to-twelve-year-old boys and girls. Their destination was Dowagiac, Michigan. All 46 children were successfully placed in new homes. This system endured for 77 years, from 1854 to 1930. By the 1870’s the New York Foundling Hospital, run by the Catholic Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent DePaul, began sending orphans to Catholic families. Together, an estimated 150,000-400,000 children were sent West on the trains - from Indiana to Kansas, Minnesota to Texas. As many as 100,000 orphans were placed in Missouri. Some 50 became members of the Wien community. The Process The Children’s Aid Society would send notices to local postmasters along the train’s route announcing the time and date a trainload of orphans would arrive in each community. Those notices would be posted in post offices, stores, churches, and newspapers. Typically 25-35 children were placed on a train under the supervision of only 1 or 2 adults (usually a man and a woman), called “agents” (note the railroad term). Initially the children’s ages ranged from 3 to 17, although later this was narrowed to 5 to 12. Sometimes agents preceded the train by several weeks to organize a selection committee and to screen prospective foster parents. Shortly before the day of departure (oftentimes just the night before) the children would be told that they were going on the train, and they would be bathed, their hair tended to, and given new clean clothing. Then they would board the train, and off they went to their new destiny. It was a long trip from New York, but many of the children were able to see for the first-time fields of crops and animals, orchards, forests and large open areas. Upon arrival in one of the projected towns, they would disembark and go to a meeting place such as a church, hotel, courthouse, opera house, or the train depot, and be lined up on a stage or platform at the front of the room. Usually, a local town “committee” had been at work prior to the arrival of the train, trying to line up good potential families for the expected children. At this time, members of the community would be allowed to visit with (and inspect) the children. If a match-up was made between adult and child, and the local committee and placing agents approved, a written agreement was signed. Then the child would leave the group and go on to his/her “new home”. Contact continued thereafter by semi-annual letters and occasional visits by representatives of the Children’s Aid Society. Overall the system worked very well. The orphans had a better chance at life with placement in a new home “out West”, than they did remaining in New York. Thousands of children were removed from lives on the street or in orphanages and placed in loving families. A 1910 report of the Children’s Aid Society gave the final destinations of the children they had sent out on the Orphan Trains. It listed all 48 States plus the District of Columbia and Canada, with the majority going to the Midwest. There were some problems, but these should not detract from the successes of the Orphan Trains. Children were shipped with no certainty that they would be adopted. Some were not, and returned on the train to New York and the orphanage. The children had to face the ordeal of separation from home, leaving familiar surroundings and perhaps parents, brothers and sisters. Some left New York with siblings but were separated upon selection, often to never see their brothers and sisters again. English-speaking children were placed with foster parents who spoke another language (e.g., German), and vice-versa. Sometimes children went from one family to another, to another. Foster parents were also allowed to return children who did not “work out”. Not all orphans were treated well. A record of the Children’s Aid Society noted that in 1871 more than 3,000 orphans were transported at an expense of $31,638, which included train tickets, food and the agent’s salaries – approximately $10 per child! The New York Foundling Hospital Charles Brace required that the adopting home be Christian. However, there were complaints that Catholic children did not always go to Catholic families. This, in part, led the Catholic New York Foundling Hospital to begin sending children on their own version -- the Mercy Trains. Sister Irene Fitzgerald, a Sister of Charity of St. Vincent DePaul, opened the New York Foundling Hospital to help address the monumental problem of homeless and unwanted children. It was incorporated on October 8, 1869. Three days later on October 11th, the Feast of the Maternity of Our Lady, Sister Irene and her two companions, Sister Teresa Vincent and Sister Ann Aloysia, moved into a small house at 17 East 12th Street. Although they expected to spend three months preparing for the opening of the institutions, an infant was laid on the door-step that very first night. Before January 1, 1870, the proposed opening date, they had received 123 babies. When they finally opened the doors formally, a white cradle was placed in the foyer of their building where mothers could anonymously leave their children to be cared for by the sisters. The story of Sister Irene and The New York Foundling Hospital runs parallel with that of Rev. Brace and the Children’s Aid Society. However, there were a few key differences. The Sisters worked in conjunction with Priests throughout the Midwest and South in an effort to place these children in Catholic families, whereas the Children’s Aid Society requested that the children they placed be given spiritual training but left the choice of religion up to the “adoptive” family. Also, the children from the Foundling Hospital tended to be younger than those from the Children’s Aid Society. Probably the largest difference in how the Foundling Hospital placed their children is that the children were not sent out to be “randomly” adopted, but were “requested” ahead of time by families who wanted a child. Requests would be sent to the New York Foundling Home for a child (for example: a 2-year-old, blue eyed, blond haired girl), and then the Sisters would do their best to find a “matching” child. They would then send the requesting family a “receipt” for the child telling when and where the child would arrive by train. This notice requested that the family be at the station ahead of time so as not to miss the train. For each child, the sisters of the hospital made a suit or dress with his or her name and the name of the new parents pinned on the inside of the back collar. When the train arrived, the new parents were to have their “notice of arrival” with them which they were to present to the Sisters. This notice had a number on it that would match up with a child on the train. Once the match was made, the parents would sign the “receipt” for the child, and they were free to leave with their new child. Not everyone embraced the concept of the Orphan Trains. As noted earlier, there were several problems. In Missouri, a law was passed in 1901 forbidding the orphan trains, purportedly because the Children’s Aid Society “is pouring carloads of children into the state without properly supervising them”. Apparently the law was never enforced because it did not stop the trains. The last of the orphan trains came to Missouri in 1929 . By then most states had passed stricter adoption laws and policies. Many Eastern states and cities assumed more responsibility in caring for orphans, and so the trains were no longer needed. Also, the onset of the Depression made it more difficult for families to take on the responsibilities of additional children. But the Orphan Trains left a lasting legacy. Thousands of children left the streets and orphanages of New York, and other large Eastern cities, to find homes with loving families. It was an inexpensive way out of solving juvenile crime. But its greatest triumph was proving the value of foster families, and for that millions of children have benefited since the last train headed west out of New York City carrying homeless children to a new life of hope. This article is written in memory of my great-great-aunt Christine Harmon, who came to Wien on the orphan train in the 1890 ’s and was adopted by my great-great-grandmother Therese Biegel. THE RAILROADS THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE The first railroad line across Missouri was built in 1859 from Hannibal to St. Joseph. This is known today as the Burlington-Northern line that still runs through New Cambria and Bucklin – most likely the final stop for the orphans who were adopted by families around Wien. It was not until 1868 that the first train bridge across the Mississippi River from Illinois to Missouri was built at Quincy. The other railroad line in the area of Wien, known today as the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe, came down out of Southeast Iowa, crossed the Burlington-Northern at Bucklin and went through Marceline on its way southwest. Stations were ultimately built in New Cambria, Bucklin, and Marceline, but a station was not required for the Orphan Train. The trains made “whistle stops” between stations to pick up and drop off passengers, mail – and orphans. Not everyone embraced the concept of the Orphan Trains. As noted earlier, there were several problems. In Missouri, a law was passed in 1901 forbidding the orphan trains, purportedly because the Children’s Aid Society “is pouring carloads of children into the state without properly supervising them”. Apparently the law was never enforced because it did not stop the trains. The last of the orphan trains came to Missouri in 1929. By then most states had passed stricter adoption laws and policies. Many Eastern states and cities assumed more responsibility in caring for orphans, and so the trains were no longer needed. Also, the onset of the Depression made it more difficult for families to take on the responsibilities of additional children. But the Orphan Trains left a lasting legacy. Thousands of children left the streets and orphanages of New York, and other large Eastern cities, to find homes with loving families. It was an inexpensive way out of solving juvenile crime. But its greatest triumph was proving the value of foster families, and for that millions of children have benefited since the last train headed west out of New York City carrying homeless children to a new life of hope. This article is written in memory of my great-great-aunt Christine Harmon, who came to Wien on the orphan train in the 1890’s and was adopted by my great-great-grandmother Therese Biegel. For More Information : An excellent site that covers these trains is found at Social Welfare Orphan Trains. Many books and articles have been written about the Orphan Trains. One of the best, and a source of much of the information in this article, is Orphan Trains to Missouri, by Michael D. Patrick and Evelyn Goodrich Trickel, published in 1997. It is available in libraries and can be purchased on the Internet. Articles on the Internet that I found particularly good, include: A History of the Orphan Trains by Connie DiPasquale The New York Foundling Hospital Orphan Train Heritage Society of America : The Orphan Train Heritage Society of America, Inc. (OTHSA)—founded in 1986 in Springdale (Washington and Benton counties)—preserves the history of the orphan train era, a period when thousands of children were relocated across the country. 614 East Emma Avenue, No. 115, Springdale, AR 72764 501-756-2780 National Orphan Center Complex : There is a museum and research center dedicated to the preservation of the stories of Orphan Train riders and how they lived once they were placed in their adoptive homes. 300 Washington St., P.O. Box 322, Concordia, KS 66901 Email: info@orphantraindepot.org PBS website with links to Orphan Train information

WORLD WAR I Arch Duke Francis Ferdinand and his wife Sophie, of Austria, were assassinated. This led to a series of events that triggered World War I. The war began in 1914 and ended in 1918 . (1917 ) The single act of shooting Ferdinand and his wife marked the beginning of the war. But there were several basic causes of World War I. These causes were: the growth of nationalism, the system of military alliances that made a balance of power, the competition for colonies and other territories, and the use of secret diplomacy. The United States tried to remain neutral. German submarines sank unarmed passenger ships, and stories of German attacks against civilians convinced Americans to join the Allies. The United States declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917 . New weapons and new methods of warfare were developed during World War I. The machine gun appeared in the war. The British army first used a tank during the war. The submarine came into use for the first time on a large scale. Air warfare also developed in World War I. The Germans used dirigible balloons, called Zeppelins. In 1915 , Germany first used poison gas. Much of the war took place in trenches and involved hand to hand combat. The western battlefront stretched about 600 miles from the English Channel to the border of Switzerland. The eastern front extended more than 1,100 miles from the Baltic Sea to the shores of the Black Sea. The southern front ran from Switzerland to Trieste for about 320 miles. Agreements made after the war changed the map of the world. New governments appeared in many of the countries that had been involved in the war. World War I did not settle the world’s problems. It just sowed seeds that caused the world to engage in another war less than 20 years later. Five hundred ninety-three men from Cooper County served in the war. Of those, 49 were wounded, six killed and one taken as a Prisoner of War. Ten others died from disease and two were reported missing in action. Company B of the 3rd Regiment Infantry National Guard from Boonville, with 92 men, served in the war under the command of Capt. Carl F. Scheidner. They were called to Federal Service on March 25, 1917 . WORLD WAR I WEBPAGES HISTORY CHANNEL BRITANNICA Atlantic Magazine NATIONAL ARCHIVES—TOPICS NATIONAL WORLD WAR I MUSEUM IN KANSAS CITY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC THE WORLD WAR I DOCUMENT ARCHIVE WORLD WAR I DIGITAL HISTORY FOR CHILDREN ABOUT WWI LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WORLD WAR I

COOPER COUNTY IS FORMED Howard County Has Been Named “The Mother of Counties” Two years after Howard County was organized, there was so much immigration into the southern part of the county that there was a great demand for the division of Howard County and for the formation of another county south of the Missouri River. Because of this demand, the territorial Legislature, on December 17, 1816 , formed the new county of Cooper, which included all of Howard County south of the Missouri River. In 1803, the United States had more than doubled its size with the Louisiana Purchase. The following year, what would one day become the State of Missouri was divided into four districts. On October 1, 1812 , the area was reorganized into five counties and named the Missouri Territory. Although a few changes took place in the Territory between 1813 and 1815 , the biggest change occurred on January 23, 1816 , with the organization of Howard County. Named after Benjamin Howard, the first Governor of the Missouri Territory, Howard County covered more than one-third of the state. It reached all the way to what would become Kansas and Iowa. Howard County would eventually form all or parts of 39 additional counties. Boonville, which was south of the Missouri River across from Franklin, was the county seat. As the population increased south of the river, people began requesting Howard be made into two counties, one on each side of the Missouri River. Finally, after less than three years, Howard was divided. On December 17, 1818 , everything north of the river remained Howard County, and everything south of the river became Cooper County, which was named after Sarshel Cooper and his brother Benjamin, early settlers of the area. The one drawback to the division was the county seat. Boonville was Howard County’s seat of government, but it was on the wrong side of the river. Laid out in 1823 , Fayette became Howard County’s county seat. This territory included what now forms 11 counties and parts of five others. Cooper County was gradually decreased in size by the formation of new counties. By 1845 , the boundaries of Cooper County were as they are today. HISTORICALLY YOURS, by Elizabeth Davis HOW COOPER COUNTY CAME TO BE By Dr. Maryellen H. McVicker The area that is now known as Missouri, was originally divided into 5 counties in 1812 by Territorial Governor William Clark, of the Lewis and Clark Expedition: St. Louis, St. Charles, New Madrid, St. Genevieve, and Cape Girardeau. These 5 counties had their origins in French settlements mostly along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. On January 13, 1816 , Howard County was created out of portions of St. Louis and St. Charles counties, and eventually encompassed enough land that 39 counties, or approximately 1/3 of the entire state of Missouri, would be formed from the original Howard County territory. Cooper County was one of those counties. It was organized as a separate county on December 17, 1818 . By 1821, Missouri had 25 counties. Eventually there would be 114 counties, and the City of St. Louis. The central Missouri region experienced rapid growth during the first 2 decades of the 19th century. By 1820 , what is now Howard and Cooper Counties, had a population of over 20,000 people, which was about 1/3 of the entire population of the Territory of Missouri. The population of the entire United States was between 9 and 10 million. Now, two hundred years later, over 300 million call the United States their home and approximately 38,000 people live in the two-county region. Cooper County will soon be 200 years old. Cooper County predates statehood. The 1876 Levens and Drake History of Cooper County tells a story about an early county employee: “Sometime during the year 1817 , William Gibson, …was appointed by the Territorial Court constable. …Soon after his appointment, there being some trouble down on the Osage, he was sent there with a warrant for the arrest of a man who had caused the trouble. …As he was on his journey back, and also having an execution against a Man who lived on the road, he stopped at the man’s house and proceeded to levy a tax on the feather beds, as nothing in those days was exempt from levy (taxation—ed.) But, as soon as he made his purpose known, four women, who were the only persons at home, threatened to give him a thrashing, so he was forced to retire as fast as he could, and return with the execution unsatisfied. To add to this, the court only allowed him, for his journey of one hundred and forty miles, which occupied four days, the magnificent sum of twenty-five cents. Mr. Gibson thinking the office not quite lucrative enough to justify him devoting his whole time to its duties, and not wishing to risk his life at the hands of angry women, quietly sent in his resignation…” Some things never change! Notice the size of Howard County compared to Cooper County COUNTIES THAT WERE FORMED FROM COOPER COUNTY Not only were 14 counties formed from Cooper County, many of these counties, in turn, were the parent county to new counties. Cooper County as originally formed comprised the present day counties of Bates (Formed 1841 from Cass County), Benton (Formed 1835 from Pettis County), Camden (Formed 1841 from Benton County), Cass (Formed 1835 from Jackson County), Cole (Formed 1820 from Cooper County), Henry (Formed 1834 from LaFayette County), Jackson (Formed 1826 from LaFayette County), Johnson (Formed 1834 from LaFayette County), LaFayette (Formed 1820 from Cooper County), Miller (Formed 1837 from Cole County), Moniteau (Formed 1845 from Cole and Morgan Counties), Morgan (Formed 1833 from Cooper County), Pettis (Formed 1833 from Cooper and Saline Counties), St. Clair (Formed 1841 from Henry County), and Saline (Formed 1820 from Cooper and Howard Counties). References : Ann Betteridge

THE PONY EXPRESS Depiction of the construction of the first Transcontinental Telegraph , with a Pony Express rider passing below. Source: Wikipedia. March 1861: The Pony Express reduces its route from Salt Lake City, Utah to Sacramento, California When Cooper County mail, that was headed west by stage coach, reached Saint Joe, Missouri, it would be picked up at the Pony Express office by one of the 80 riders, and start on a 2,000-mile wild ride by horseback to the next station. The mail and newspapers would reach San Francisco in 10 days. By stage coach, the same trip would take three weeks! There were 153 Stations, some in hotels and some in shacks. The rider would ride 10 to 15 miles before changing horses and then continue his ride to the next station and a new horse. Five hundred horses were used for each round trip. The ride was not comfortable for the rider or the horse. Bad weather, rough terrain and Indians were constant threats. Ad in the Sacramento Union, March 19, 1860 “Men Wanted" The undersigned wishes to hire ten or a dozen men, familiar with the management of horses, as hostlers, or riders on the Overland Express Route via Salt Lake City. Wages $50 per month and found.” On June 16, 1860, about ten weeks after the Pony Express began operations, Congress authorized a bill instructing the Secretary of the Treasury to subsidize the building of a transcontinental telegraph line to connect the Missouri River and the Pacific Coast. The passage of the bill resulted in the incorporation of the Overland Telegraph Company of California and the Pacific Telegraph Company of Nebraska. While the lines were under construction the Pony Express operated as usual. Letters and newspapers were carried the entire length of the line from St. Joseph to Sacramento, but telegrams were carried only between the rapidly advancing wire ends. On October 26, 1861, San Francisco was in direct contact with New York City. On that day the Pony Express was officially terminated, but it was not until November that the last letters completed their journey over the route. In June, 1860 Congress authorized the incorporation off the Overland Telegraph Company of California and Pacific Company of Nebraska. The Pony Express lasted only 19 months from April 1860 to October 1861, but it successfully connected the East to the West in record time. Sources: Adapted from National Geographic National Park Service National Historic Trail